@marillo Globe-News: Sports: Aggies to be tested early 8/29/98

FILE--Texas A&M's Dat Nguyen (9) celebrates after helping cause a fumble by Texas' Kwame Cavil during the fourth quarter Friday, Nov. 28, 1997, in College Station, Texas. Texas' James Brown (5) and Ben Adams (79), in background, leave the field after Texas A&M recovered the fumble. Texas A&M beat Texas 27-16. Nguyen will receive a degree in agricultural development this August and could have skipped last season to seek his fortune in the NFL. However, he is back taking graduated courses and returning for another run at the Big 12 championship. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)Aggies to be tested early

The Associated Press

This is the 11th in a series of articles on Big 12 Conference football teams.

COLLEGE STATION (AP) - It won't take the Texas A&M Aggies long to know whether they once again belong among the nation's elite.

The Aggies fell from grace in 1996 and then rebounded last year to go 9-4 and win the Big 12 Conference's South Division.

Several A&M players remember the 1996 slide began with a loss to Brigham Young in the early-season Pigskin Classic. This year, the Aggies have another tough early battle against Florida State in the Kickoff Classic on Monday.

"What happened at BYU two years ago seemed to have had a rough effect on our season," senior linebacker Dat Nguyen said. "But this year, I think playing Florida State will be good for us. We know what to expect now. We know we can't just grind through the motions."

After struggling to a 6-6 record in 1996, A&M bounced back by winning its first five games of 1997. The Aggies fell on consecutive weeks to Kansas State and Texas Tech and then won their last four regular-season games.

Things tailed off from there. Nebraska whipped A&M 54-15 in the Big 12 championship game, and then came a 29-23 loss to UCLA in the Cotton Bowl.

Nguyen said lessons the Aggies learned from the Nebraska loss will help them prepare for Florida State.

"We made a lot of mistakes and we know we can't make mistakes and expect to beat teams like Florida State," Nguyen said.

The Seminoles are among seven teams with 1997 winning records that the Aggies will play this season, and coach R.C. Slocum believes the early test will be good.

"Either we'll match up well or we won't," Slocum said.

A&M will need quick results from both offensive and defensive lines. There are no returning starters in the defensive line, and only guard Semisi Heimuli returns on the offensive side.

The Aggies appear set in the backfield. Senior quarterback Branndon Stewart is assisted by three career 1,000-yard running backs (Dante Hall, Sirr Parker and D'Andre Hardeman) and superb blocking back Marc Broyles.

Slocum wants more of a passing attack, and he expects to get it with receivers Aaron Oliver, Leroy Hodge, Chris Cole and tight end Derrick Spiller. The Aggies also plan to send Parker wide on occasion for another look.

"Our receivers have come a long way the last couple of years," Stewart said. "We've got some good guys and depth. We've got fast people and a couple who are big targets to get balls for short yardage."

Nguyen headlines the linebackers, the strongest position on the defense. The defensive backfield, a pleasant surprise a year ago, returns intact with cornerbacks Jason Webster and Shun Horn and safeties Rich Coady and Brandon Jennings.

A victory against Florida State would be a great kick-start to the Aggies' season. They haven't beaten a top-10 team away from Kyle Field since 1979.

"We are much better prepared at this time for a team like Florida State than at this time a year ago," Slocum said. "We were coming off a disappointing season and trying to regroup. This year we're coming off a championship season."